by R A Oakes
“What can I do,” Raven asked, not noticing her magic sword’s energy growing, Baelfire being fed up with Balzekior’s twisted justification for such senseless destruction.
“Save the monastery,” Chen replied, hoping to get Raven to focus on something that she’d believe was worth fighting for.
“What?” Raven asked, looking at the giant structure going up in flames.
“The monastery isn’t a building. It’s a set of beliefs, a way of life. Isn’t that right?” Chen asked an ancient woman, Vangalaya, who’d been in ghost form until coming closer to Raven.
“Yes, exactly,” Vangalaya replied. “The monastery exists as long as even two or three monks exist, and they don’t need a building. A cave, a crevasse or even an overhanging rock will do.”
“Save the monastery,” Chen said again, looking around her at the crazed meat-eating trolls who were caught up in a frenzy.
“Can’t we just walk away?” Raven asked.
“And go where?” Chen replied, her practical nature unable to hide from the disaster being unleashed all around them.
Just then, thousands of meat-eating trolls with Zarimora in the lead, Balzekior once again having disappeared from view, broke through the defensive perimeter, and the troll queen lifted her sword, ready to bring it down on the golden-winged woman.
However, Baelfire, touched by the ghost whisperer’s enormous compassion and by her willingness to give even creatures like meat-eating trolls a second chance, wasn’t willing to watch the golden-winged woman die and said, “Raven, enough’s enough. You have a higher purpose and must live to defend others in need. You must stand up for what’s right and do what needs to be done.”
Looking at the storm clouds overhead, at the shield the meat-eating trolls were so heavily dependent upon, Raven pointed Baelfire at the sky, and the magic sword erupted sending a wide beam of golden light up through the thunderous downpour. It punched a tremendous hole in the clouds, and a stream of brilliant sunlight instantly shot down from the heavens touching everything with its warmth.
Suddenly, everyone stopped in their tracks, the humans and the vegetarian monks out of sheer gratitude, and the meat-eating trolls because they’d all been turned to stone. Silence filled the battlefield. And the monks drank in the peace and tranquility, as did Chen and her warrior women.
“It’s over,” Raven said, amazed and relieved.
“Yes, it’s over,” Chen agreed, heaving a sigh and patting her golden-winged friend on the back.
Racing towards the older version of herself, Renivy threw her arms around Raven and cried out, “I’m so glad you’re alive!”
“So am I,” the golden-winged woman said, smiling down at the younger version of herself.
“Am I going to have gold wings when I’m your age?” the girl asked, stroking Raven’s luxurious feathers.
“I don’t know, will you?”
“Yes,” Renivy decided, rubbing her cheek against the feathers on Raven’s chest.
“You did well, ghost whisperer,” Zorya said after making her way through rows and rows of troll statutes. Then, hugging Raven tightly, she added, “So, when are you and Dynarsis going to settle down and give me some grandchildren?”
“Hey, you still have me to raise,” Renivy protested.
“I’m just teasing,” Zorya said smiling. “But if what Chen says is right, and Raven and Dynarsis are the founders of a dynasty, they can’t wait forever to get started.”
“I guess that means welcome to the family,” Jaren said, hobbling up to Dynarsis and shaking his hand. Zorya’s husband was just beginning to regain his strength and had remained in the back of the forge during the battle.
“I believe Raven will have the final say on that,” Dynarsis replied, looking over at the golden-winged woman who reached out, took his hand and pulled him to her, wrapping both wings around him and giving him a long, passionate kiss.
“Being hugged by someone with wings must be really neat,” Brianuk said, coming over and standing close to Renivy. “I hope you will have wings someday.”
“Don’t get any ideas,” the girl said, though smiling and reaching out for her friend’s hand.
Suddenly, Bold Spear landed on Raven’s shoulder, perching there while greeting her friend with a loud “C-r-o-c-k!” The ghost whisperer stroked the raven’s neck feathers and said, “Thank you for your help, and be sure all our feathered friends know how grateful I am.” To which Bold Spear replied with another deep, raspy “C-r- o-c-k,” expressing her happiness.
Dark Shadow and Swift Arrow, Brianuk’s horse parents, trotted over to their son, after having fought beside Chen’s warrior women, and the black stallion said, “Thundercloud, we still have local meat-eating trolls to deal with over at Woodcliff Village and some of the other villages in the region.”
“Yes, Father,” Brianuk replied. “But who’s going to help us?”
“We’ll all help you,” Rothena, the co-abbot of the monastery, said. “Won’t we, Galaxen?”
“Of course.”
“As will I,” Aldwen, the wizard, reassured the boy.
“Also, with Balzekior gone, that will be a help,” Renivy said.
“Balzekior’s gone? Are you sure?” Raven asked.
“She’s disappeared as if into thin air,” Aldwen pointed out.
“Oh, she disappeared all right, directly into that strange hole in the forge,” Renivy said. “I saw her go into it.”
“What strange hole?” Chen asked, deeply concerned.
“The same gaping hole you used to come here.”
“The time portal?” Chen asked, greatly alarmed.
“If that’s what it is, that’s where she went.”
“Gwendylln,” the black-winged woman shouted to her second-in-command. “Get all of our warrior women ready to leave immediately.”
Without a word, Gwendylln obeyed.
“Dynarsis, Starlight, Andylan and I will come with you also,” Raven said. “We don’t belong in this time frame anyway.”
“I’m not letting my newest student go who-knows- where without proper spiritual guidance,” Vangalaya said to Raven. “I’m coming with you.”
“But you belong here at the monastery.”
“Rothena and Galaxen don’t need an old busybody like me underfoot all the time. I’m sure they can spare me for a while,” the ancient spiritual master said, smiling at the two abbots.
“We’ll try, but don’t stay away for too long,” Rothena said, smiling as well, knowing she wouldn’t be able to change the ancient ghost’s mind once she’d decided on something.
“Why not see us off at the time portal?” Chen suggested once her warrior women had all gathered around her. Then, after arriving at the portal, Chen’s women raced through it along with Dynarsis, Starlight and Andylan, leaving only Vangalaya and the two-winged women. Raven now wore a belt with Baelfire in a scabbard on her left hip.
Looking at Raven with discerning eyes, Chen said, “I know you’d like a few moments alone with your family.”
“Yes, but after all we’ve been through, I’ll hate saying good-bye to them.”
“It’s not good-bye. I’m leaving the time portal open so Rothena, Galaxen and your family can contact us anytime they wish. Once you join me, we can meet with the College of Wizards in my era. They created the portal and will be able to track Balzekior. The old crone might have gone further than 500 years into the future.”
“Is there electricity in your era?” Renivy asked.
“What’s that?”
“I’ve no idea, but before Balzekior entered the portal, she mumbled something about escaping to an out- of-the-way place with horse-drawn carriages and electricity.”
“Thank you, I’ll let the College know,” Chen said before stepping into the portal herself.
Putting everything else aside, Raven smiled and said, “Family hug,” gathering Zorya, Jaren, Renivy and Brianuk around her. After hugging each of them, Raven said, “I love you all.”
Then, she lingered for a few moments, smiling warmly, and entered the time portal.
“Have you ever heard of electricity?” Rothena asked Vangalaya.
“No, but I’ll report back as soon as I can,” the ancient ghost replied, stepping into the portal and following the two-winged women to whatever destiny awaited.